52 Best Disaster Recovery Plan Templates

1. Define clear scope and objectives
Describe the systems, data, and processes covered by the template and align DR objectives with business goals. Include RPO, RTO, and failure scenarios to guide recovery priorities and resource allocation.

2. Include data categorization and recovery strategies
Classify data by criticality and establish specific recovery steps, backups, and restoration procedures for each category. Ensure roles, timelines, and dependencies are explicit to prevent delays during an incident.

3. Build in regular testing and maintenance
Schedule periodic tabletop and full rehearsals, track results, and update the template accordingly. Establish a change-management process to keep the plan current with infrastructure, personnel, and vendor changes.